METHODS: Ten male collegiate rowers and physically active untrained subjects were recruited. Muscle synergies were extracted from 16 rowing-specific muscles using Principal Component Analysis with varimax rotation. Incremental rowing VO2 max Test was performed on slides ergometer (SE). Rowing performance and physiological variables were analyzed.
RESULTS: Rowers exerted greater power output, more energy expenditure and better rowing economy compared to untrained subjects. Rowers preferred to row slower with longer strokes compared to the untrained subjects. Three muscle synergies with high indices of similarity of waveform patterns were extracted in both groups. Significant association was found between muscle synergies and rowing economy.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study showed that muscle synergies were robust during aerobic-dominant activity for collegiate rowers and untrained subjects. Rowers and coaches could utilize the findings by emphasizing on muscle coordination training, which may enhance the rowing economy.
OBJECTIVE: In order to address this issue, we analyzed how leg muscle activity is related to the variations of the path of movement.
METHOD: Since the electromyography (EMG) signal is a feature of muscle activity and the movement path has complex structures, we used entropy analysis in order to link their structures. The Shannon entropy of EMG signal and walking path are computed to relate their information content.
RESULTS: Based on the obtained results, walking on a path with greater information content causes greater information content in the EMG signal which is supported by statistical analysis results. This allowed us to analyze the relation between muscle activity and walking path.
CONCLUSION: The method of analysis employed in this research can be applied to investigate the relation between brain or heart reactions and walking path.
METHODS: Twenty-four studies met the inclusion criteria including 1761 cadaveric limbs.
RESULTS: The results were as following: (a) the mean palmaris longus tendon length was of 13.9 ± 2.6 cm, (b) the mean ratio palmaris longus tendon length/forearm length was of 0.545 ± 0.06, (c) the weighted correlation value was of 0.686, and (d) the mean palmaris longus tendon width was of 4.0 ± 1.7 mm. Only five studies reported a palmaris longus tendon length of more than 15 cm. The palmaris longus tendon length was shown to vary between ancestries; the Japanese had the shortest while Malaysian the longest palmaris longus tendons. All studies but one reported a palmaris longus tendon mean width of more than 3 mm where the minimal mean palmaris longus tendon width was of 2.5 mm.
CONCLUSION: While the requested length depends on the recipient site and/or type of reconstructive surgery, the palmaris longus tendon often met the required diameter for grafting. Our review demonstrated that while palmaris longus length varies between ancestries, its width is often adequate for grafting. In addition, the forearm length could be a good predictor of palmaris longus tendon length; such correlation could assist surgeons when planning to use palmaris longus tendon as a graft source.